Parade Will

Celebrate Newtown’s

Natural Beauty

By Steve Bigham

Patriots and nature lovers alike will want to be in the Borough Monday morning for the 40th annual Labor Day Parade. The march, beginning at 10 am, celebrates “Newtown’s Natural Beauty” and will feature three of the most immense American flags ever seen.

Presiding over the parade route will be Newtown residents Al Goodrich and Mary Mitchell, two good friends who know quite a bit about the great outdoors. Their passion, knowledge, photography, and writing have helped others open their eyes to all that the natural world offers. Their selection as parade marshals was only natural, organizers say.

Trailblazers of sorts, Al and Mary may best be known for the creation of the Newtown Trails Book and Touring Newtown’s Past, two books that have helped familiarize hikers about some of Newtown’s lesser-known natural treasures.

Both in their 80s, these two adventurers have often been seen together marking trails in the back woods, documenting old houses, or enjoying their shared passion for photography and travel.

Mrs Mitchell, the author of 19 books, has been described as a philanthropist, hiker, and gardener, and seems to derive her greatest pleasure spending time hiking in the thickets with Al.

An engineer, conservationist, and mapmaker, Al Goodrich has relied on his sense of curiosity and direction to help him discover pathways long since lost.

On Monday, they will blaze a trail down Main Street with six divisions and some 120 units following behind, including local fire companies, the Newtown High School Band, and scores of local organizations and interest groups.

The annual Labor Day Parade always marks the unofficial kickoff to the local election campaign season and parade-goers can expect to see an especially large pool of politicians Monday morning.

This year’s march will feature candidates from three local political parties. All eyes will no doubt be on the three first selectman candidates, Democratic incumbent Herb Rosenthal, Republican newcomer Owen Carney and NICE Party hopeful Barry Piesner.

The parade comes just two months before the November 6 election and there should be plenty of action during that time. But it’s not all about the first selectman race. There are plenty of other interesting races as well, including the Legislative Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, and, for the first time in a while, the Board of Education.

Gov John Rowland is also expected to be among the marchers.

This year’s festivities actually begin a little bit earlier in the day, according to organizers, who have scheduled a national flag exhibit that includes the unfurling of three gigantic American flags. Each will be rolled out like a carpet and then carried down Main Street from the flagpole south. Two of the banners are commemorative World War II flags that have been raised at every World War II battlefield. The third flag (45 by 90 feet), the one usually hung from Mount Rushmore, will then be hoisted by a crane high above Main Street near The Pleasance.

The parade will kick off at the intersection of Currituck Road and Main Street and make its way down Main Street, turn left onto Glover Avenue, and then on to Queen Street.